v3.8.0.1
Segment Information (Certain Financial Information for the Reportable Segments) (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Sep. 30, 2017
Jun. 30, 2017
Mar. 31, 2017
Dec. 31, 2016
Sep. 30, 2016
Jun. 30, 2016
Mar. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2017
Dec. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets $ 831,921       $ 783,962       $ 831,921 $ 783,962  
Revenues 16,265 $ 16,313 $ 13,441 $ 13,670 13,050 $ 16,961 $ 14,439 $ 14,329 59,689 58,779 $ 57,119
Net Investment Income                 16,435 15,520 14,829
Policyholders’ Benefits                 33,794 33,632 30,627
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 3,822 3,761 3,479
Dividends to Policyholders                 2,091 2,025 2,212
Interest Expense                 1,327 1,320 1,306
Amortization of DAC                 1,580 1,877 2,120
Closed Block Business | Operating Segments                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 63,134       62,051       63,134 62,051  
Closed Block Business | Closed Block division                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 63,134       62,051       63,134 62,051  
Revenues                 5,826 5,669 6,160
Net Investment Income                 2,653 2,578 2,653
Policyholders’ Benefits                 3,219 3,282 3,365
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 133 134 135
Dividends to Policyholders                 2,007 1,941 2,130
Interest Expense                 1 2 1
Amortization of DAC                 37 37 37
Operating Segments                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 53,646 51,574 48,630
Net Investment Income                 13,499 12,695 11,958
Policyholders’ Benefits                 29,987 29,625 26,616
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 3,729 3,698 3,585
Dividends to Policyholders                 84 84 82
Interest Expense                 1,322 1,315 1,302
Amortization of DAC                 2,093 1,672 1,631
Operating Segments | Other divested businesses                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 775 602 638
Net Investment Income                 321 278 217
Policyholders’ Benefits                 657 594 607
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 0 0 1
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 0
Interest Expense                 4 3 3
Amortization of DAC                 0 0 0
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Individual Solutions division                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 267,651       248,385 [1]       267,651 248,385 [1]  
Revenues                 10,084 10,021 [1] 9,928 [1]
Net Investment Income                 2,690 2,520 [1] 2,272 [1]
Policyholders’ Benefits                 2,418 3,056 [1] 2,559 [1]
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 1,049 1,042 [1] 1,007 [1]
Dividends to Policyholders                 36 35 [1] 33 [1]
Interest Expense                 718 654 [1] 619 [1]
Amortization of DAC                 947 599 [1] 598 [1]
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Individual Solutions division | Individual annuities                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 183,666       170,861       183,666 170,861  
Revenues                 5,110 4,666 4,695
Net Investment Income                 742 698 603
Policyholders’ Benefits                 318 306 314
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 330 362 363
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 0
Interest Expense                 70 71 69
Amortization of DAC                 464 484 465
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Individual Solutions division | Individual Life                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 83,985       77,524       83,985 77,524  
Revenues                 4,974 5,355 5,233
Net Investment Income                 1,948 1,822 1,669
Policyholders’ Benefits                 2,100 2,750 2,245
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 719 680 644
Dividends to Policyholders                 36 35 33
Interest Expense                 648 583 550
Amortization of DAC                 483 115 133
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Workplace Solutions division                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 225,204       214,151 [1]       225,204 214,151 [1]  
Revenues                 19,314 18,219 [1] 16,964 [1]
Net Investment Income                 5,119 4,871 [1] 4,668 [1]
Policyholders’ Benefits                 14,108 13,360 [1] 12,220 [1]
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 1,781 1,736 [1] 1,698 [1]
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 [1] (2) [1]
Interest Expense                 31 24 [1] 33 [1]
Amortization of DAC                 40 39 [1] 72 [1]
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Workplace Solutions division | Retirement                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 183,629       173,509       183,629 173,509  
Revenues                 13,843 12,876 11,821
Net Investment Income                 4,482 4,263 4,082
Policyholders’ Benefits                 10,035 9,328 8,352
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 1,507 1,473 1,441
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 (2)
Interest Expense                 26 19 25
Amortization of DAC                 26 33 66
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Workplace Solutions division | Group Insurance                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 41,575       40,642       41,575 40,642  
Revenues                 5,471 5,343 5,143
Net Investment Income                 637 608 586
Policyholders’ Benefits                 4,073 4,032 3,868
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 274 263 257
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 0
Interest Expense                 5 5 8
Amortization of DAC                 14 6 6
Operating Segments | Investment Management Division                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 49,944       49,255 [1]       49,944 49,255 [1]  
Revenues                 3,355 2,961 [1] 2,944 [1]
Net Investment Income                 170 80 [1] 111 [1]
Policyholders’ Benefits                 0 0 [1] 0 [1]
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 0 0 [1] 0 [1]
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 [1] 0 [1]
Interest Expense                 27 15 [1] 10 [1]
Amortization of DAC                 11 15 [1] 19 [1]
Operating Segments | Investment Management Division | Investment Management                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 49,944       49,255       49,944 49,255  
Revenues                 3,355 2,961 2,944
Net Investment Income                 170 80 111
Policyholders’ Benefits                 0 0 0
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 0 0 0
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 0
Interest Expense                 27 15 10
Amortization of DAC                 11 15 19
Operating Segments | Total International Insurance division                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 211,432       197,119       211,432 197,119  
Revenues                 21,560 21,009 19,364
Net Investment Income                 5,027 4,759 4,357
Policyholders’ Benefits                 13,440 13,183 11,821
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 899 920 880
Dividends to Policyholders                 48 49 51
Interest Expense                 13 8 5
Amortization of DAC                 1,138 1,068 989
Operating Segments | Total International Insurance division | International Insurance                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 211,432       197,119       211,432 197,119  
Revenues                 21,560 21,009 19,364
Net Investment Income                 5,027 4,759 4,357
Policyholders’ Benefits                 13,440 13,183 11,821
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 899 920 880
Dividends to Policyholders                 48 49 51
Interest Expense                 13 8 5
Amortization of DAC                 1,138 1,068 989
Operating Segments | Corporate and Other Operations                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets 14,556       13,001       14,556 13,001  
Revenues                 (667) (636) (570)
Net Investment Income                 493 465 550
Policyholders’ Benefits                 21 26 16
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 0 0 0
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 0
Interest Expense                 533 614 635
Amortization of DAC                 (43) (49) (47)
Operating Segments | Corporate and Other Operations | Corporate and Other Operations                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Assets $ 14,556       $ 13,001       14,556 13,001  
Revenues                 (667) (636) (570)
Net Investment Income                 493 465 550
Policyholders’ Benefits                 21 26 16
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 0 0 0
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 0
Interest Expense                 533 614 635
Amortization of DAC                 (43) (49) (47)
Segment Reconciling Items | Realized investment gains (losses), net, and related adjustments                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 (602) 989 2,258
Net Investment Income                 (38) (31) 1
Policyholders’ Benefits                 0 0 0
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 0 0 0
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 0
Interest Expense                 0 0 0
Amortization of DAC                 0 0 0
Segment Reconciling Items | Charges related to realized investment gains (losses), net                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 (215) 19 (31)
Net Investment Income                 0 0 0
Policyholders’ Benefits                 (69) 131 39
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 (191) (50) 191
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 0
Interest Expense                 0 0 0
Amortization of DAC                 (550) 168 452
Segment Reconciling Items | Investment gains (losses) on trading account assets supporting insurance liabilities, net                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 336 (17) (524)
Net Investment Income                 0 0 0
Policyholders’ Benefits                 0 0 0
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 0 0 0
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 0
Interest Expense                 0 0 0
Amortization of DAC                 0 0 0
Segment Reconciling Items | Change in experience-rated contractholder liabilities due to assets value changes                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 0 0 0
Net Investment Income                 0 0 0
Policyholders’ Benefits                 0 0 0
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 151 (21) (433)
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 0
Interest Expense                 0 0 0
Amortization of DAC                 0 0 0
Segment Reconciling Items | Equity in earnings of operating joint ventures and earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 (77) (57) (12)
Net Investment Income                 0 0 0
Policyholders’ Benefits                 0 0 0
Interest Credited to Policyholders’ Account Balances                 0 0 0
Dividends to Policyholders                 0 0 0
Interest Expense                 0 0 0
Amortization of DAC                 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
[1] Prior period divisional subtotals are presented on a basis consistent with the Company’s new organizational structure. Individual segment results and consolidated totals remain unchanged. See Note 1 for additional information.